Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Flexibility.

I'm not overly fond of snow. Yes, it's attractive, and I do like the muffling effect of falling snow on the usual noises of the city, but given a choice, I'd pick no snow over snow, without hesitation.  I moved from the opposite end of the country to this, in an effort to avoid snow as much as possible. We only get snow here once or twice a season, and usually, it's gone within a matter of days.

I had today all planned out - I was going to do this, go there, and accomplish that. I'm glancing out the window as I write this, and the snow is coming down so thickly, it's a white haze obscuring my vision of the house across the street. I don't think I'm going to following my original outline for today.

We can plan; it's good to plan. It's also good to be able to set our plans aside, accept reality, and choose to do what we hadn't intended, but now have the time to pursue.

Moaning and wailing about how I was going to do this today, and now I can't because just look at that stuff coming down, and it's going to ruin all my plans is not only staying stuck within my rigidity, it's keeping my mind closed to what my Higher Power may have decided I need to be working upon this day.

Flexibility is a marvellous thing; physical flexibility allows me freedom of movement, without stiffness or pain.
Mental flexibility allows me freedom of thought, without barriers of control and expectation.
When I accept that my plans for the day are not going to be fufilled, I open myself to learning, and perhaps accomplishment of a task which must be addressed, in order for other things to fall into place. I don't know; I can't see into the future.

I only know this: when I rail and grumble, I make myself frustrated and unhappy. When I sigh good-naturedly, shrug my shoulders, and go devote my time and energy to an alternate undertaking, I stay relaxed and in serenity. I can't make it stop snowing, but I can let go of my desire for it to stop, and concentrate instead on enjoying the look of the silly snow hats growing upon the fence posts, and the birds hopping about on our back deck.

4 comments:

  1. The pain is in the resistence of what is. Not my words somewhere in the Courage to Change daily reader. Even now just this moment I am not where I want to be and just those words cause me suffering. Acceptance the key to happiness.

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  2. When I am in the moment life unfolds just the way it's supposed to. IF I am busy forcing solutions there is no place for my spiritual life to unfold. I begin to feel out of place with myself...my will oh my... my will
    It's supposed to snow here tonight
    the first time in 35 years.
    I have plans

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  3. A good plan to just enjoy what the day has to offer, snow or not. Thanks for your kind comments.

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  4. In those moments where a plan has been inturrupted or changed I ask myself,” How important is it?”
     Sometimes it is critical. I must take action to make sure there is follow through, especiall y when someone else has dropped the ball on a delegated task that really matters.
     Then, sometimes the situation just calls for a liitle tweaking and the outcome can be better than the original plan.
     Then again, there are the days when all plans just are not working out. I see here I need to focus on other matters I can work on.
     I have many moments in my job, a type of work which calls for a high degree of flexability, the instructor tells me, “Just go with the flow.” I know from experience, this day will be a stressful chaotic disaster because the setting calls for structure but my boss wants to just relax and not have to meet a schedule. This situations is the most frustrating situations for me, but my attitude makes a big difference. Remain postive, do not grumble or complain, just do the best I can for the day. It will pass and tomarrow might bring forth more productive outcomes.

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